Chapter 12: Da Hark-Side of the Mμne

Our music product, as opposed (though not necessarily juxtaposed) to Jazz Fusion—discussed in the last chapter, might be described as Idiomatic Fission.  Instead of merely fusing idiomatic slants, we endeavored to generate imaginative power by categorically splitting music and cinematic idioms.


As I have stated, as well as having been a Funk maven and admirer of Clintonian P-Funk growing up in the seventies, I had the pleasure of working with and learning from George Clinton in the studio.  During my pure civilian spectator days…uh, do not attempt to adjust your ready-o, there is nothing wrong.  We have taken control as to bring you this special show… MAKE MY FUNK THE P-FUNK.





Bernie’s dark sinister cynical Gospel Yamaha Electric Grand piano (metered by a "stomping" bass drum's kick) laid a leeringly laconic surgically succinct backdrop for George’s Funk-tru-ristic sci-fi narrative.  I wanted to pay homage to my Funk roots.  Marko’s rhythm guitar from next chapter’s “Cancer” fit the concept like a cinematic hitman’s driving glove.


My only problem with it was how it blended/clashed…blashed with its neighbor number—the dark quasi-humorous action movie vibe of “D. E. A. Dass…”  There needed to be a short transitional movement dividing the two.


Also, by the time this song was added into the album, and as this once seven-song project had outgrown its small EP shell—enough to warrant the aforementioned intermission, it seemed only fair to provide our listeners with a first wrap-up we had decided to release a two-record vinyl set.  I thought it novel to recap the prior selections to introduce the second half with a time-tested/time-worn Previously on… montage.  Again with the fission/fusion, we blended the fabulous LSE actors dramatizing the titles of the first ten songs against a dramatic underscore, then transitioning through Theresa reading an excerpt from my short story “The Malphony Stone” [from the short story collection "Cranial Crumbs & ReSIDue" ©1998], and finally exploding on the Funk.  I tried emulating the live audience ambience heard on the live recording of Parliament’s “P-Funk”, but then opted to go with the more thematically cohesive sound of audience members returning to their seats after the intermission break.


Everything otherwise is self-explanatory—though that is meager fortification against the raging didactic forces of the aggressively and chronically professorial.